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Why politicians should pay more attention to the polls (reprise)
Welcome to the 231st edition of The Week in Polls (TWIP), a polling newsletter that always welcomes new readers. So please don’t keep TWIP a secret; share it with your friends and colleagues: Share The Week in Polls With all the stories swirling around Reform, JL Partners and political polling, I am finally tearing myself away from talking about the regulation of polling this week - and instead re-running a previous piece reminding us why the solution to problems with polls isn’t simply to ban or ignore them. Rather, we need them to play a vital role in making our politics - and politicians - better. This is followed by summaries of the latest national voting intention polls, seat projections from MRPs and the most recent party leader ratings. Subscribers who pay for the full edition can also read ten insights from the latest polls and analyses, including: A trio of organisations and a pair of professors have been casting their eyes over the Liberal Democrats ahead of the party’s autumn conference; What impact did the summer heatwave have on views on climate change? and Which wins out between chocolate and cheese? If you are not yet a paid subscriber, you can read all ten by starting a free trial now: Get FREE 7-day trial For more polling news as it comes in ahead of next week’s edition, you can also follow The Week in Polls on Bluesky. Picking up on my doubt last week about whether or not 35% of British train travellers have tried to order a takeaway for delivery to a railway station or carriage, thank you to reader Iain, who has been in touch to say he has done just that… in India. Another quick pair of updates, this time on the controversies around Reform and polling. Politico has a further scoop - “Farage aide caught in donor sting attended Egypt retreat with JL Partners” - and Ian Dunt has written about the problems with polling too: “Seeing the response of many polling experts in the last few weeks suggests that they are nervous about what is happening and keen to mitigate against it. Seeing the response of journalists, which has been basically non-existent, suggests the precise opposite.” My usual reminder as well: please do hit reply if you’ve spotted a poll, focus group or new piece of poll-based research that you think should be in contention for coverage in a future edition. Thank you! And with that, on with the show. How politicians get public opinion wrong I have written before about the benefits that come from widespread availability of high-quality political polling. We need more polls and more good coverage of polls. However, what I’ve not dug into before is the research into how accurately politicians estimate public opinion on issues. Thankfully we have academic research to tell us. First, the bad news: We present results from a study of 866 politicians in four countries.1 Politicians were asked to estimate the percentage of public support for various policy proposals. Comparing more than 10,000 estimations with actual levels of public support, we conclude that politicians are quite inaccurate estimators of people’s preferences. They make large errors and even regularly misperceive what a majority of the voters wants. Politicians are hardly better at estimating public preferences than ordinary citizens. Walgrave, S., Jansen, A., Sevenans, J., Soontjens, K., Pilet, J.B., Brack, N., Varone, F., Helfer, L., Vliegenthart, R., van der Meer, T., Breunig, C., Bailer, S., Sheffer, L. & Loewen, P.J. (2023a), “Inaccurate Politicians: Elected Representatives’ Estimations of Public Opinion in Four Countries”, The Journal of Politics, 85(1): 209-222. The bad news is not quite as bad as that makes it sound because, when asked whether the majority of public opinion was for or against various policies, politicians picked the wrong option ‘only’ 29% of the time. However, this included getting it wrong even when public opinion is far from evenly split on an issue: They do not only get it wrong when the public is divided and hard to read (e.g., when there is a 51%:49% distribution). Seventy percent of the misplacements occur for policies with a relatively clear distribution of at least 60% (dis)agreeing citizens. Moreover, the public scored only slightly worse than politicians, picking the wrong option 2.7 out of 8 times on average, compared with 2.3 times for politicians. Turning to the other measure of accuracy (not which side is in the lead but what the percentage support is for each side), politicians on average were 18 percentage points out in their guesses. Again, this was only slightly better than the public, whose error came in at 21 percentage points.2 Further research, using the same mix of countries, gives a little more comfort about how (in)accurate perceptions are: We show that politicians have a better understanding of public opinion when they think the issue matters to voters. Further, when an issue is personally important to politicians they more accurately estimate their party supporters’ opinions. The results confirm that politicians hold more accurate perceptions of voters’ preferences when they think it is important to do so but not necessarily when the issues actually are important to voters. Butler, C., Walgrave, S., Soontjens, K. & Loewen, P.J. (2024), “Politicians are better at estimating public opinion when they think it is more salient”, Party Politics: 1–13. Even so, it’s not a good picture. The remedy for this? Politicians should spend more time reading the polls. So forward this newsletter to someone you know… Share For a more general argument against banning polls, see my 2024 piece. Is “Let Bartlet Be Bartlet” good advice or not? The latest episode of my Political Fictions podcast heads across the Atlantic for a dip into one of the political TV classics: Mark and Cory talk about a giant of American political drama for the first time this week, as they tackle The West Wing. They talk about Let Bartlet Be Bartlet, the nineteenth episode of series one. In it, Mark wonders if The West Wing is actually the epitome of the “Boris Johnson school of politics”, Cory outmanoeuvres Mark into confirming we will record a Christmas Special about Love, Actually and they debate whether the central message of this episode has been misunderstood. Cory’s email newsletter is Paperback Rioter and Mark has a family of email newsletters. Subscribe to our newsletter for some additional bonus content and to get alerted whenever a new episode comes out. Our theme tune is “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” by Kevin MacLeod/incompetech.com and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License. You can also listen to our episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the web or YouTube. Elsewhere from me… [ A Lord's Eye View How to fix the problem of money in our politics Welcome to my latest update on work in the House of Lords. This time I am taking a look at how our political system is regulated, and the protections we need to keep democracy safe from becoming simply a contest to see who has the biggest bank account… Read more 5 days ago · 3 likes · 2 comments · Mark Pack ](https://lordseyeview.substack.com/p/how-to-fix-the-problem-of-money-in?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=web&embedding_publication_id=1269283) If you spot a factual error… Borrowing an idea from Stuart Ritchie and others, if you spot a factual error in an edition of this newsletter, I will give you a free 12-month subscription to the paid-for version (or an extra 12 months on your existing one). Factual errors qualify, but grammatical errors or disagreements over interpretation do not, and my decision is final. Messages about both of those are always welcome, though. Voting intention and leadership ratings Here are the latest voting intention polls from different pollsters. It is all pretty static at the moment, with a small and consistent Labour lead in nearly all the polls. The table is also online here, along with explanations about what is included. It is updated regularly throughout the week as new polls are released. Next are the seat projections from MRPs, also sorted by fieldwork dates, listing those which are based on dedicated fieldwork (rather than models based on averages of other polls). Because such MRPs are published infrequently, some of the entries below are quite old. Finally, here is a summary of leadership ratings, with a graph from PollCheck: Detailed numbers from the latest polls are online here, and both that and the graph are updated regularly throughout the week as new data comes out. For historical figures on both voting intention and leader approval stretching back to the 1930s, including Parliamentary by-election polls, see PollBase. Catch up on the previous two editions [ ](https://theweekinpolls.substack.com/p/a-crisis-point-for-political-polling) [ A crisis point for political polling Sep 13 ](https://theweekinpolls.substack.com/p/a-crisis-point-for-political-polling) [ Read full story ](https://theweekinpolls.substack.com/p/a-crisis-point-for-political-polling) [ ](https://theweekinpolls.substack.com/p/extra-questions-about-the-polls-in) [ Extra questions about the polls in Reform’s funding scandal Sep 6 ](https://theweekinpolls.substack.com/p/extra-questions-about-the-polls-in) [ Read full story ](https://theweekinpolls.substack.com/p/extra-questions-about-the-polls-in) My privacy policy and other legal information are available here. Links to purchase books or other items are usually affiliate links which pay a commission for each sale. Quotes from social media messages are occasionally lightly edited for punctuation and clarity. If you are subscribed to other email lists of mine, please note that unsubscribing from this one will not automatically remove you from the others. If you wish to be removed from all my lists, simply reply to this email to let me know. A quintet of Lib Dem polling analyses, and 9 other polling insights you shouldn’t miss The following ten findings from the most recent polls and analyses are only for subscribers who pay for the full edition, but you can sign up for a free trial to read them straight away. Ahead of the start of Liberal Democrat conference, we have a trio of organisations and a pair of professors with pieces out about Ed Davey’s party:
Raiders Have Best Backup QB In NFL, Per This Report
The Las Vegas Raiders have their franchise quarterback, and according to this list he's the best backup, too.
Aidan O’Connell ruled out for personal reasons
The Las Vegas Raiders will be without Aidan O’Connell because of personal reasons on Sunday
Chargers Keys to Victory Against Raiders in Week 2
The Chargers have three clear keys to beating the Raiders: keep Justin Herbert upright, limit Brock Bowers if he’s able to play and avoid costly turnovers. After the Week 1 loss to Arizona, Los Angeles needs to play a cleaner, more consistent game.
One Foot Down Reacts: We Like The Lines
With under nine hours to tonight’s kick, let’s take a quick peek at our weekly survey question at One Foot Down. If Notre Dame is going to be a championship caliber team, it’ll be on the backs of guys like linebacker Jaiden Ausberry, defensive end Bryce Young, safety Adon Shuler and linebacker Drayk Bowen. This […]
Latest impressive defensive performance helps undefeated Cedar Ridge stuff Rouse
After allowing nearly 40 points per game last year, Cedar Ridge's defense has dominated so far this season. The Raiders are 4-0 for the first time since 2017.
Aiden Newdigate runs in touchdown for St. Xavier vs. Moeller
Aiden Newdigate's 1-yard touchdown run tied the game between St. Xavier and Moeller with 10:30 left in 2Q on Sept. 18, 2026.
Watch: Rouse vs. Cedar Ridge football live
Two Raider football programs meet in Week 4 as Cedar Ridge hosts Rouse at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex for a nondistrict showdown.
Chargers vs. Raiders I preview, prediction and how to watch
Las Vegas Raiders (1-0) AT LA Chargers (0-1)When: Sunday 1:05 pmWhere: SoFi StadiumTV: CBS-2 (Los Angeles), CBS-8 (San Diego), Paramount/NFL+ Radio: Los Angeles: KYSR-FM (98.
Brock Bowers doubtful for Week 2
Michael Mayer could be the Raiders starter at tight end in Week 2.
Stukes Is Showing Out Without Big-Time College Credentials
The Las Vegas Raiders took safety Treydan Stukes in the second round, and he showed a surprising skillset on Sunday.
3 reasons for optimism for Raiders Week 2 vs Chargers
There are some reasons to be optimistic if you're the Raiders heading into their Week 2 matchup with the Chargers.
Game of the Week Preview: McCutcheon vs Harrison
The Mavs and Raiders face off in Sports 18’s Game of the Week.
Chargers Week 2 vs. Raiders: 6 things to know
Here are some key things to know before the Chargers take on the Raiders in Week 2.
Brock Bowers remains sidelined Thursday
Las Vegas Raiders TE Brock Bowers misses practice with knee injury
Another full practice for Ashton Jeanty
Las Vegas Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty listed as full participant with ankle injury
Investigation chief probes police pensions for Adams aides
The top recommendation from DOI would have the Police Pension Fund adopt an "actual duty" standard.
Chargers face must-win game vs. Raiders in Week 2
The Los Angeles Chargers could fall to 0-2 with a loss against the Las Vegas Raiders.
IHS Awards $2.3 Million to Expand Community Health Aid Program
A program designed to bolster the mid-level medical workforce in Indian Country is getting a $2.3 million boost to bring it to the lower 48. Community health aides are providers who bridge gaps in communities where healthcare access is limited. According to the IHS website, these include conducting health assessments and screenings, providing preventive care […]
2026 Week 3 Preview: Houston Cougars @ Texas Tech Red Raiders
Houston and Texas Tech meet in a Friday night ranked matchup with early-season Big 12 title stakes.
Wardogs has already made more money than Marathon, and its Steam launch momentum is ahead of Arc Raiders and Helldivers 2
Wardogs has successfully converted Steam Wishlists to bring in $70m from its 1.6 million active users.
Maxx Crosby Sends Strong Message After Turbulent Raiders Offseason
Las Vegas Raiders superstar defensive end Maxx Crosby opens up about the craziest NFL offseason of his career. The post Maxx Crosby Sends Strong Message After Turbulent Raiders Offseason appeared first on HEAVY.
Raiders Star Tight End Still Not Practicing After Surgery
The Las Vegas Raiders missed tight end Brock Bowers last week, and he's still not practicing after knee surgery.
Ladd McConkey’s concerning injury update could cost Chargers
Ladd McConkey’s rib injury puts his Week 2 status in doubt as the Chargers prepare to face the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
The Indian business empire being forced to list against its will
A flotation of Tata Sons could open some of the country’s most valuable companies to rivals and raiders
Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember isn't just a sequel - it's a culmination of everything Team Ninja has learned from Nioh, Ninja Gaiden, and Dead or Alive
Where the first Wo Long game built from its Nioh-shaped foundations, Wo Long 2 wants to be something else entirely - much to its credit.
Steve Scalise's top aide is leaving to start her own Louisiana firm. See her new job.
WASHINGTON – After nearly a decade as House Majority Leader Steve Scalise’s chief of staff, Megan Bel Miller is stepping down to start her own business.
Steve Scalise's top aide is leaving to start her own Louisiana firm. See her new job.
WASHINGTON – After nearly a decade as House Majority Leader Steve Scalise’s chief of staff, Megan Bel Miller is stepping down to start her own business.
Jon Ossoff mentions Natalie Harp while condemning Trump's administration
During his 16 August campaign event in Atlanta, Georgia, Senator Jon Ossoff mentioned White House aide Natalie Harp when condemning the Trump administration's handling of the Iran war and USS Lincoln sailors
How myth-busting science changed cerebral palsy
Research from Adelaide continues to play a major role in changing the world's understanding of cerebral palsy, tracing its causes back to genetics and reducing costly litigation against obstetricians. ...
Carrie Hughes: Health and human services director, House Education and the Workforce Committee
Carrie Hughes knows she is somewhat of a rarity on Capitol Hill. Her first job as a congressional aide was in the office of Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.). Eighteen years later, he’s the only membe…
Health problem delays sentencing for Gov. Newsom's ex-chief of staff
Dana Williamson, a former top political aide to key Democratic leaders in California, including Gov. Newsom, is recovering from what appears to be an unplanned surgery, and court records show her attorney is asking a federal court to delay her sentencing.
Brock Bowers considered day-to-day
Raiders TE Brock Bowers day-to-day for Week 2 after knee procedure
Chargers Loss Could Give Raiders A Unique Opportunity
The Los Vegas Raiders play the Chargers this week, and this game could be more even than we thought.
Far-left attack backfires spectacularly as radical online personality whines after attacking female Trump aide
Aaron Rupar faces White House backlash after attacking a female press wrangler in a C-SPAN clip from President Trump's Ireland departure.
Ashton Jeanty runs wild in Week 1
Las Vegas Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty tallies 147 total yards on 29 touches in Week 1 win
Dolphins Rookie Michael Taaffe Has Inspiring Story
Michael Taaffe didn’t take long to make an impact in his NFL debut.Playing for the Miami Dolphins in Las Vegas against the Raiders on Sunday in Week 1, the rookie safety found a way to intercept Kirk Cousins.In a game that hadn’t been going particularly well for Miami, it was a key moment. Cousins missed […] The post Dolphins Rookie Michael Taaffe Has Inspiring Story appeared first on HEAVY.
Raiders Week 1 performance 'extra special' for Maxx Crosby
Sunday's win was 'extra special' for Raiders DE Maxx Crosby after an emotional rollercoaster offseason.
Crosby Shut Down Rams Trade Before Garrett Deal, Per Report
The Las Vegas Raiders have been dealing with Maxx Crosby reports for a while, and now there's a new one.
Ohio Republican in Key Senate Race Fires Campaign Aide, Citing Social Media Photo of Nazis
Senator Jon Husted dismissed his political director because of activity displaying a “complete lack” of judgment, according to a spokeswoman.
What Can Texas Tech Expect on Offense Against Oregon State?
Texas Tech got the job done in its opener with a 33-10 win over Abilene Christian, but the defense seemed to do most of the dirty work for the Red Raiders. How will Will Hammond and company respond against Oregon State?
Ex-Raiders Veteran Lands With Titans Before Season
The Las Vegas Raiders decided to move on from the veteran, and the Tennessee Titans claimed him off waivers. The post Ex-Raiders Veteran Lands With Titans Before Season appeared first on HEAVY.
Ashton Jeanty ready to play in Week 1
Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty not on injury report after full practice
Raiders WR named fantasy football sleeper for Week 1
Raiders star Tre Tucker may be in line to put up even bigger numbers than originally expected in Week 1 with Brock Bowers sidelined due to injury.
Las Vegas Raiders and Team México announce strategic partnership in Mexico
Team México becomes an Official Sports Betting Partner of the Las Vegas Raiders in Mexico.
Seahawks lose player to Klint Kubiak’s Raiders in waiver claim
The Seahawks lose an offensive lineman to Klint Kubiak’s Raiders.
Trump administration offers rare muted response on new sanctions against Israel
(CNN) — President Donald Trump and his top foreign policy aide, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have not condemned the United Kingdom, France, Canada and others for their planned sanctions
No snap count restrictions for Chris Bell in Dolphins opener
Miami’s rookie receiver will be a full-go against Raiders in week one.
How Are Data Centers Impacting Health?
Shinsuke Tanaka, assistant professor of agricultural and resource economics, weighs in on the environmental and health implications of data center construct ...
Home health care jobs expected to skyrocket amid "critical" need in Tennessee
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a surge of new home health and personal care aide jobs.
Health problem could delay sentencing for Gov. Newsom's ex-chief of staff
Dana Williamson, a former top political aide to key Democratic leaders in California, including Gov. Newsom, is recovering from what appears to be an unplanned surgery and court records show her attorney is asking a federal court to delay her sentencing.
Can Patrick Paul, Dolphins, needle Raiders' 'hothead' Maxx Crosby?
Miami Dolphins offensive lineman Patrick Paul has seen Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby lose control. Can Paul take advantage in the opener?
Raiders feeling confident about ground game heading into 2026
Raiders coaches are reportedly feeling very confident in their ground game and their running back room this season.
Trump gave $45,000 holiday gifts to Natalie Harp and two other White House aides
President Donald Trump gave sizable holiday gifts to four White House aides, according to new financial disclosures released by the administration.
As Apple prepares to make a splash, a brief history of foldable phones
The first iPhone in 2007 mainstreamed touch-screen technology, years after it was developed. Now Apple is betting its maiden foldable phone can do the same for a format stuck in a niche despite years of efforts from Samsung and Chinese rivals like Huawei.
EverTrue Acquires Aidentified's Philanthropy Business, Securing Exclusive Data Rights to Advance AI-Powered Fundraising
/PRNewswire/ -- EverTrue, the philanthropy-first intelligence platform for fundraising teams, today announced an exclusive partnership with Aidentified, a data...
Former Sunnyvale resident pleads guilty to health care fraud
Authorities say Sevindik Huseynov aided and abetted as scheme to submit thousands of bogus claims to Medicare Advantage programs.
Trump gave $45K holiday gifts to Natalie Harp and 2 other White House aides
A White House official said the cash gifts were not related to the "individuals' official government duties, and therefore are entirely permissible under relevant legal and ethical standards"
Trump Doled Out $45,000 Cash Gifts to Natalie Harp and Other Aides Last Year
The money, listed as “cash gift for the holidays,” was detailed in financial disclosure forms released by the administration.
Trump Doled Out $45,000 Cash Gifts to Natalie Harp and Other Aides Last Year
The money, listed as “cash gift for the holidays,” was detailed in financial disclosure forms released by the administration.
FBI raided his Detroit drug rehab centers. Now he can't pay employees.
A drug rehab center in metro Detroit says the FBI has seized all of its money, causing paychecks to bounce and leaving patients with nowhere to go.
Raiders’ Maxx Crosby Handed Potential Trade Idea Involving Cowboys
Las Vegas Raiders‘ Maxx Crosby will have a chip on his shoulder when he takes the field in Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins. This offseason, the Baltimore Ravens traded for the veteran pass rusher, but the deal fell through after he failed his physical.Crosby underwent surgery in Jan. 2026 to repair a torn meniscus […] The post Raiders’ Maxx Crosby Handed Potential Trade Idea Involving Cowboys appeared first on HEAVY.
Trump gave Natalie Harp and two other aides $45,000 each in cash gifts for holidays
President Donald Trump gave Natalie Harp and two other White House aides $45,000 each in cash gifts, according to financial disclosure statements.
Trump gave $45,000 holiday gifts to Natalie Harp and two other White House aides
President Donald Trump has given substantial holiday gifts to four White House aides, according to financial disclosures released by the administration | 830 WCCO
Trump gave $45,000 cash gifts to Natalie Harp, two other close aides
Financial disclosures show the sums were equivalent to nearly one-third of each of their salaries. Experts say the gifts are without precedent and may violate the law.
Raiders fans were not in favor of signing Von Miller
Las Vegas fans don’t feel like they need veteran pass-rusher
Paxton Aide Turned Whistle-Blower Appears in Ad Endorsing His Rival, Talarico
David Maxwell was among the staffers in the Texas attorney general’s office who accused Ken Paxton of abusing the power of his office, allegations that led to his impeachment. Mr. Paxton was acquitted.
‘Destiny’ Has Inspired A 10-Year Plan For ‘ARC Raiders’
ARC Raiders has a 10-year content plan and is looking to the 12-year-old, recently killed Destiny franchise for inspiration.
Raiders New Running Back Is Giving Coach A Good Problem
The Las Vegas Raiders have a rookie running back who's been coming on strong in the preseason.
Why consumer apps set their sights on patient health records
Apps like Doctronic, Sharecare & ChatGPT now let patients access medical records via AI, aided by TEFCA & CMS, though Epic's data-sharing friction remains a hurdle.
Tom Brady refuses to apologize for conflict of interest
Ever since seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady stepped into a role as a broadcaster with Fox while also becoming a part owner of the Las Vegas Raiders franchise, he has faced criticism over potential conflicts of interest and how the limitations placed on him might impact his career as a broadcaster. Brady, however, doesn’t…
Falcons Join Raiders And Vikings With Striking Season-Opening Trend
The Atlanta Falcons have made it official at quarterback, with the team announcing on Monday that they will be going with veteran Tua Tagovailoa under center for the start of their 2026 NFL season. A new quarterback to start a season has become a familiar sight for Atlanta and its fans. In fact, this is […] The post Falcons Join Raiders And Vikings With Striking Season-Opening Trend appeared first on Gridiron Heroics.
DeAPlaneta to Represent Iron Maiden, Backstreet Boys in Europe
The company will serve as licensing agent for Global Merchandising Services' roster in Iberia, France and Central and Eastern Europe.
Deaplaneta Entertainment Appointed as Licensing Agent for Global Merchandising Services’ Music in Iberia, France and CEE
The DeAPlaneta Entertainment portfolio has announced it has been bolstered by the addition of Iron Maiden, Evanescence, Motörhead, Ozzy Osbourne and Backstreet Boys. The company has reached an agreement with Global Merchandising Services for the former to act as the licensing agent for the artists in its catalogue in Iberia, France, and CEE. This appointment […]
Notre Dame football pregame injury update on Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa
With “KVA” apparently sidelined, Notre Dame figures to lean more on the three-man rotation of Drayk Bowen, Jaiden Ausberry and Jaylen Sneed
Ashton Jeanty Learned Football On Defense In Texas
Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty was once a safety playing high school football in Texas.
Texas Tech RB Quinten Joyner Stars in Emotional Debut
Joyner played his first game as a Red Raider after missing last season with an injury.
Mike Washington Jr. Is Running Back Klint Kubiak Wanted
The Las Vegas Raiders drafted Washington because Klint Kubiak wanted him, and Ashton Jeanty is the guy he inherited.
Sen. John Fetterman lashes out at former aides who accused him of indifference toward his work
Raiders sign former Georgia, Falcons pass rusher
Former Georgia standout Azeez Ojulari has joined the Las Vegas Raiders practice squad after leaving the Falcons.
Exclusive: Fetterman blasts ‘disgruntled staffers’ and ‘smears’ after report details apathy toward his work
Sen. John Fetterman is lashing out at former aides who accused him of showing indifference toward his work and of routinely skipping constituent meetings, dismissing them as “disgruntled staffers” pushing “smears” to tarnish his reputation.
Nigel Farage to be quizzed as he battles to contain growing donations scandal
The Reform UK leader is under pressure after senior aides appeared to plot how to bypass electoral laws on foreign donations
Red Raiders Take Down ACU 33-10 with Conservative Offense
No. 12-ranked Texas Tech began its Big 12 championship defense with a victory over FCS Abilene Christian.
Raiders rookie running back length catching eyes of everybody
Mike Washington Jr. is going viral for the length of his arms.Mike Washington is about a week from making his NFL regular-season debut with the Raiders but is already a...
Farage and Jenrick to speak on final day of Reform conference marred by scandal and protests
Farage, who had earlier suspended two close aides, had his keynote speech interrupted multiple times by protesters on Friday
Former Steelers Veteran Playmaker Visits Raiders: Report
Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling visited the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday. The post Former Steelers Veteran Playmaker Visits Raiders: Report appeared first on HEAVY.
Shemar Stewart’s comeback aided by new-look Bengals veteran roster
Shemar Stewart is on the way back from injury and Bengals veterans have been a major influence.
15 discouraging hours with Onimusha: Way of the Sword, and 10 brilliant ones with He Who Watches
In the last few weeks, while playing some video games that I might review, I emailed two cries for help. I sent the first to a rep for Capcom, confessing that the company’s samurai game Onimusha Way of the Sword (out today for PC and console) was crushing me. “Feels like I’m playing ‘hard’ mode, not ‘normal,’” I wrote. “And I don’t want to have to knock it down to “story”. I’m exploring, trying to level my gear, but these two-phase boss fights with no mid-fight checkpoints are brutal.” I wagered I was only about halfway through the game, if that. I wasn’t sure I could keep up with the steepening difficulty curve. Was I missing something? Then, on Monday, I took some photos of some puzzles that were baffling me in the mind-bending He Who Watches (out now on PC), wrote out lengthy descriptions of how I’d been trying to solve them and asked Bobby Vanden, the game’s solo developer, for a nudge in the right direction. I told Vanden I’d spent hours on these puzzles. “I’m stuck in triplicate,” I told him. Could he tell me if the solutions I was attempting were even on the right track? I didn’t mention that the puzzles—coupled with major time pressures from other work—were stressing me out so much that playing the game was giving me headaches. This double dose of panic was unusual. I’m used to managing a workload full of reporting and reviewing, used to a crowded schedule and the need to stay calm amid the bustle. But I was stressed about these games. No one was forcing me to review them, nor even play them. I’d simply found them interesting enough to start, hoped they’d be interesting enough to write about and I’d sunk hours into them assuming I’d made the right call. Suddenly, however, I felt trapped. I was emailing for a way out. Above: This guy took me about an hour to beat. The feedback I got from Capcom confirmed my fears. They didn’t say it, but I will: Onimusha Way of the Sword is not for me. It’s a brutally hard game in need of a normal difficulty level. It’s a game that spikes so severely during its abundant boss fights—yet offers such flawed ways to improve when outside of them—that it feels like a bait-and-switch. In the new Onimusha, you play as famed samurai Musashi Miyamoto, aided by a magical soul-absorbing gauntlet that is possessed by a lady who offers advice. (Way of the Sword is a continuation of Capcom’s long-dormant Onimusha series, but that set-up had me wondering if the company was cribbing from their ill-fated Bionic Commando reboot; read about “wife-arm” when you get a chance). Way of the Sword is partially set in 17th century Kyoto, an explorable city where Miyamoto can fight demons, help civilians and eventually rescue ghostly dogs. The city evolves over time, with new mini adventures and obtainable loot on offer, all feeding into systems that promise to upgrade your gear and sword-fighting skills. Upgrades, however, are so incremental as to be imperceptible, causing the exploration of Kyoto to feel like inconsequential busywork. From that hub, players can go on linear missions into forests and old temples, where they will encounter many of the game’s tough bosses. Combat in Way of the Sword is akin to many modern melee games. Players are asked to mix attacks with dodges and parries. They’re encouraged to deplete an enemy’s stamina bar in order to do greater damage to its health bar. The old Onimusha games’ signature move was the issen, a counter-attack so sudden it’s all but pre-emptive. You strike just as they begin to strike toward you, beating them to the cut. By definition, the issen is a high risk move, leaving you wide open to pain. It feels risky in the game, especially against bosses, who can maul you in just a few blows. A game might train you to perform an issen well by offering a variety of lesser enemies who are not as tough as the boss but get close. Or it might offer a toehold against bosses by saving or checkpointing the player’s progress when a boss’ first health bar has been destroyed and before the second health bar appears. It might offer the less skilled player a chance to over-level their character, should the player simply commit to playing through its optional sidequests. Way of the Sword does none of this. Fighting its trivially easy grunt enemies and then its ferociously adept bosses is like playing a game of chess where I’ve got a rook, while the opposing side is all pawns and five queens. Bosses simply don’t checkpoint. You may be able to clear a boss’ first phase without taking much damage. Good for you. Do it again, every time you fail the second phase. As for the the central Kyoto hub, I kept pace with all of its added side activities and never felt like I was overpowered. Bosses could still easily buckle me. The new Onimusha, I concluded, is just too discouraging to keep playing. The advice I got from Capcom had been well-intentioned. They reminded me of the game’s various systems. They alerted me to an optional assist that flashes recommended button inputs (basically: counter this move; dodge that move). It was a little helpful. So was dropping down to “story mode,” which I tried last night. Story mode turns on those button prompts by default. It makes countering and dodging way too easy, nearly automatic. I don’t consider myself a master of action games like these, but I’ve cleared the likes of God of War, Stellar Blade, Star Wars Jedi and others of sub-Sekiro difficulty and had a fun time doing so. Not here. Not yet. Unless they patch Onimusha: Way of the Sword and add a middle difficulty or just checkpoint the damn bosses when they’re between health bars, my streak of loving Capcom games released in 2026 will likely end at two. It’s a shame, because I was having a good time finding those ghostly dogs. And then there’s He Who Watches, a phenomenal first person puzzle game with Portal vibes, except instead of a portal gun you’ve got a magical bow that shoots one arrow that can activate switches or be used to drag blocks. The twist is an actual twist: you can also walk on walls and the ceiling, reorienting gravity as you do, thereby placing blocks onto those other surfaces. Walking on walls and ceilings to solve problems is really the best thing. Would that I could in reality. He Who Watches consists of locked-room challenges, each brief enough to only require about a minute to actually solving, though it will take five, 10, eventually 30 minutes to figure out said solutions. They are not obvious! It’s a game of layered mechanics and shocking solutions. For example, see if you can follow this: You can drag a block to a wall. Then you can walk on the wall, which now feels like the floor, and drag that block across the wall. Later, back on the floor, you might realize you can look up. The block is still on the wall, stuck to it. You can shoot your magic arrow to its underside. Doing so creates a tether, so that you can yank the block off the wall and carry it, as if it were a balloon, into the spot where you need it to be to solve the puzzle. Here, watch Vanden explain some of the game’s basics in this launch trailer: As with any great puzzle game, the solutions to He Who Watches’ puzzles elicit relief and amazement. Oh my god, that worked! I didn’t even think that could be possible! Learning to solve the game’s puzzles feels like learning magic. But, oh, does the game get hard. Its Steam reviews, mostly glowing, are full of players remarking how quickly He Who Watches made them sweat. Wrote one: “loving this one already although my brain is hurting!” Wrote another: “As you get further in the game it feels like you need an IQ level of at least 120+.” Vanden has shown some mercy. Each locked room puzzle includes an optional junior version of the puzzle, meant to teach you. Difficulty nevertheless ramps severely. By the time I was emailing Vanden for help, I was struggling to even clear one of the hint puzzles. When I messaged him, my stress was exacerbated by strange things I’d found in the game’s various hubs: suspicious passageways, odd blocks and some intriguing locked doors. These were hints of secrets, I realized, yet I sensed I needed to play further into the game to understand them. I was stuck, but I wanted to see the rest. Vanden offered to give me the exact solutions, to solve those three puzzles for me, but first he gave four nudges. Three were for the specific puzzles, but his best hint was for all and ultimately proved to be a terrific life lesson: go back a bit, he suggested. Do the puzzles right before those. They were teaching you something. Focus on what their lesson was. Don’t rush, in other words. Recognize what you’ve accomplished. Build off of that. I did so. I absorbed the lessons. I saw those three tough puzzles in a new light. I solved one the night after he wrote back, another the morning after. I left a third for another time. I didn’t need it and I wanted to plunge deeper into the game, closer to the moment when I was sure I could start unlocking those secret doors. My head stopped hurting, too. He Who Watches feels special. It’s got more challenges, and I’m undeterred. It’s also nice that its puzzles don’t have a surprise second health bar. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Item 2: In brief… 🎮 Ilari Kuittinen, co-founder of Helsinki-based Housemarque (Super Stardust HD, Resogun, Returnal) has stepped down from his studio, after a 31-year run, saying he’s “ taking a rare and well-deserved breather.” Sony purchased Housemarque in 2021, and the studio released its newest game, Saros, earlier this year. Trend-watch: Sony-owned Insomniac saw its founder Ted Price retire in early 2025, after a 30-year run. Sony-owned Sucker Punch saw its co-founder Brian Fleming step down in late 2025, after a 28-year run. 👀 Savvy Games Group chief Brian Ward is stepping down from the Saudi-government-backed games conglomerate, Bloomberg reports. No word on a long-term successor yet, nor if this augurs any closer integration between Savvy and Electronic Arts. EA was purchased by a consortium led by Saudi’s sovereign wealth fund, in early August. 💿 Square Enix has denied a Japanese media report that the company was planning to go private. In very different Square Enix news, the company revealed that the physical version of Final Fantasy VII: Revelation, the April 2027 finale of its radical remakes of FFVII, will include just one disc in its case, requiring a download for the rest. The first two FFVII remakes in the trilogy shipped on two discs apiece. While Square hasn’t commented on the reason why, a feature here in Game File last month broke down the processes and costs for physical games. The expense of a second disc comes out of the game publisher’s cut of each copy. Square could be saving in excess of a dollar a copy with this move. 🟥 Grand Theft Auto IV’s 26-minute ’‘extended look” gameplay showcase that premiered on Netflix last week—and was exclusive to the platform for six hours—drew 31.1 million views in its first four days, the streamer announced. (Netflix calculates views as total viewed hours divided by runtime; excludes replays). Compared to YouTube: The version that later premiered on Rockstar Games’ YouTube channel is sitting at 22.6 million views after seven days (YouTube’s more liberal counting system tallies anyone who viewed even just the first few second.) Compared to other Netflix mega-events: Last year, Stranger Things season 5’s first four episodes, which debuted together, drew a record 59.6 million views in their first few days on Netflix. For more of a live event type of comparison, in 2024, the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match drew 65 million concurrent streams as it happened; Netflix didn’t release live numbers for the GTA premiere. ☁️ Microsoft is changing the way it charges for cloud gaming, from an all-you-can-play offer for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, to caps for the subscription’s tiers (15 hours per month at the Ultimate tier), with the option to buy more hours in bulk beyond that. The company also said it will sell batches of cloud gaming time to non-Game Pass subscribers, details TBA. Microsoft does not release figures for cloud game usage, but said its changes would impact 4% of Game Pass subscribers. That implies a small portion of its subscribers exceed the 15-hour monthly mark. Cloud gaming offers the promise of playing games without the need for console or PC hardware, as the graphics, sound and controls are all transmitted via a streaming connection. Microsoft notes that its cloud gaming service can be used for a range of things, including Xbox One players using it to play newer-gen Xbox Series games via streaming; and people playing games via streaming, sans any console, “in markets where consoles are less available or affordable.” (That latter use case could even be relevant in Xbox’s home market soon, as console prices keep rising.) Take Two Interactive chairman Strauss Zelnick recently told investors he expects game-streaming tech, which has been only lightly adopted by gamers for over a decade, to be widely used within three years. 🇺🇸 The Trump administration has published multiple agenda-driven web video games to the White House’s website. One called Build The Wall partially clones Tetris as it asks players to build a wall to stop a “zombie border siege.” While actual Tetris involves clearing lines and basically not building a wall, the Trump-backed game omits the line-clearing aspect (and omits the fun as well). On Instagram, Tetris’ official license holders reacted by stating: “At Tetris we believe in the power of connection and bringing people together, not dividing them. To our fans everywhere: we love you, we see you, and we’re grateful to have you in our community. P.S. The Tetris Company was not involved in the creation of ‘Build the Wall.’ P.P.S.: We take copyright infringement very seriously.” Item 3: The week ahead: Tuesday, September 8 Game releases: Mewgenics (consoles; already out on PC) is an engrossing tactical combat game (with cats). It is getting its console port right after the release of a Star Wars tactics game and ahead of the late September launch of a Fire Emblem–a bumper crop for the genre. Wanderburg (PC) is an auto-shooting game like Vampire Survivors, but you’re a castle on wheels Event: Nintendo airs a 30-minute Nintendo Direct (10am ET) focused on The Legend of Zelda’s 40th Anniversary. A full unveiling of the upcoming remake of The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time is expected. Will they also show footage from next year’s live action movie? Tease the next big 3D Zelda? Add Link to Mario Kart World? Shadow-drop a new Tingle game? Wednesday, September 9 Event: Nintendo again! On this day, they’re planning to air a 45-minute Nintendo Direct (10am ET) focused on games heading to Switch 2 this winter. Followed by about an hour of gameplay demoed by the company’s Treehouse team. The September Nintendo Directs are always some of the year’s biggest. The 2025 edition included announcements of several major 2026 Switch/Switch 2 games: Pokémon Pokopia, Mario Tennis Fever, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave. Plus the return of the Virtual Boy. Friday, September 11 Game release: EA Sports NHL 27 (PlayStation, Xbox) is a hockey game. There are so few that an indie studio that had been making wacky sci-fi first-person shooters just announced that, hey, we’re going to fill a void and make a hockey game for PC.
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